THE MAGPIE SALUTE, which brings together the reunited guitar team of Rich Robinson and Marc Ford from THE BLACK CROWES, bassist Sven Pipien (also from the CROWES) along with lead singer John Hogg (HOOKAH BROWN, MOKE), drummer Joe Magistro and guitarist Nico Bereciartua, will release its debut album, "High Water I", on August 10. It is the follow-up to last year's "The Magpie Salute (Live)", which was largely recorded in front of a studio audience in Woodstock, New York.

The third single from "High Water I", a song called "Sister Moon", can be streamed below.

Ford states about the track: "'Sister Moon' came from John and I staying in a house together. We lived together 24 hours a day for ten days. We would just sit, poke at the fire, and tell stories. Many ideas came from that. That's how 'Sister Moon' started. It's so vibey and beautiful. John and I had never met before. The track is like us meeting."

Pulled together by Robinson, THE MAGPIE SALUTE continued a storyline he began in the BLACK CROWES with Ford and Pipien. Meanwhile, Hogg shared HOOKAH BROWN with Robinson as keyboardist Matt Slocum and Magistro both joined him for solo records and tours over the years.

Now, these six individuals conjure magic on their full-length debut of original material, "High Water I" (Mascot/Eagle Rock), for 2018, with "High Water II" to come in 2019.

"It's the recontextualization of playing with one another," Robinson states. "When I was putting this thing together, I was thinking about how even though we may not have played for almost a decade, it just comes back immediately. The chemistry is unexplainable. Of course, I'm the same guy who played with the BLACK CROWES and wrote all of those songs, but this is a different context for myself, Marc, and Sven. It's the convergence of three different worlds and eras for me. We're all here together in this one place. Simultaneously, it's amazing for Marc and Sven to play with Joe and Matt and John to be in the middle of it all. For me, that was really cool to witness. This is what I wanted to do."

"The more time we spend together, the more I realize how much of my life is involved with Rich," Ford reveals. "This is probably the best band I've ever been in. As a player, it challenges me. There's something beyond us that we're agreeing with. This music wants us to be a part of it. Rich and I just agreed that whatever it took for us to drop our bullshit — so be it. That way, we could let this happen in our lives. It's better when we're together than when we're not. We're better friends than we've ever been. I've learned more about him in the last year than I had in the past thirty. Rich and I have been able to pick up this fragmented broken piece of a very bizarre life together and unite as grown men and say, 'Wow, that was something. Let's see what we can do with it.'"

"We're all very aware of this position we're in," adds Hogg. "Rich and Marc have this intense and long history together in quite a public way. At the same time, you've got Sven who's been in the band forever, and Joe has been with Rich for 15 years. I have this history with Rich. I won't lie; it's all quite unusual," he laughs, "I'm working with the greatest musicians I've ever worked with. The dynamic is powerful and positive. There's been a number of long journeys that suddenly all coalesce."

As those roads converged, THE MAGPIE SALUTE first took flight in 2016 when Robinson assembled the original ten-piece incarnation for a now seminal Woodstock gig. The group went on to sell out four consecutive nights at The Gramercy in January 2017 chronicled with a historic Guitar Player cover featuring the two six-stringers. By the top of 2018, the band delivered a total of 77 seismic sets worldwide comprised of a 170-song repertoire of covers, CROWES tunes, and solo material. Acclaim came from Guitar World, Relix, and more, while Rolling Stone summed it up succinctly as "explosive." They unveiled their debut, "The Magpie Salute (Live)", topped off by one original, "Omission". By the time they retreated to Dark Horse Studios in Nashville with Robinson in the producer's chair, the vision crystallized with the six-person lineup.

"Touring as a ten-piece is cool, but it's more like a revue," admits Robinson. "Everything on stage was great. When you're ready to record, there's a lot of space that needs to be considered though. We didn't want it to get too chaotic or too hard to sift through. The core was really important and needed to shine as a strong six-piece. It was great to build something new last year. We were born in a sense. Now, we're working towards something as a tight unit."

"We bashed out all of the framework on tour," continues Ford. "When we got off the road, we focused and let it really shine."

THE MAGPIE SALUTE is launching "High Water I" with "Send Me An Omen". The twang of a hummable riff roars under Hogg's towering delivery before spiraling into an entrancing melody punctuated by gang harmonies and butter smooth solos.

"It's a rock 'n' roll song," asserts Robinson. "It's about a relationship that's not working. By the time it gets to the chorus, there's a happier singalong juxtaposed to John's lyrics. I enjoy messing around with songs that tow the line between dark and light."

"Mary The Gypsy" charges ahead on bombastic drums and thick guitars that give way to an anti-establishment chant. "It's a charge to get rid of this false positive corporate mentality of cynically looking at creators," sighs Robinson. "It's the same thing it's always been. Bankers are running this industry and trying to tell artists how to make money. Why not just create what comes naturally to you?"

A rustle of acoustic strumming opens the floodgates on "High Water" as the vocal vulnerability underscores unrest teeming just beneath the surface. "It touches on the whole overarching theme of the record," Robinson goes on. "It's discussing humanity and everything we're going through."

The group spreads its wings on the sweeping "Sister Moon". "That came from John and I staying in a house together," recalls Ford. "We lived together 24 hours a day for ten days. We would just sit, poke at the fire, and tell stories. Many ideas came from that. That's how 'Sister Moon' started. It's so vibe-y and beautiful. John and I had never met before. The track is like us meeting."

Elsewhere, the plaintive and poignant "Colorblind" details Hogg's perspective on growing up of mixed African and Swedish descent. "It was quite complicated being somebody of mixed race when I was young in London," remarks the singer. "I was looking at some of the feelings I experienced. In a time where race and gender issues are getting inflamed, it's current to think on what this means."

The slow burn of drums and string plucks swings towards a dramatic close on the sparse-yet-soulful "Open Up".

"That one looks inward," Robinson explains. "Think of someone who has been closed off for an entire lifetime. This person inhabits one place. Finally, the world opens up. It's a cool ending."

In many ways, the name reflects the spirit of THE MAGPIE SALUTE.

"I've always loved the element of crows, but they have a dark connotation," Robinson elaborates. "Magpies are revered by ancient and indigenous cultures around the world, because they walk that bridge between dark and light. A magpie is also a cousin to a crow. This band was a cousin to the CROWES last year. Now, there's a superstition where you salute a magpie if you see him. It supposedly wards off bad spirits. A salute means, 'We come in peace.' That's our goal. We just want to play together. It made sense."

In the end, THE MAGPIE SALUTE's story is just beginning to get good.

Baptized by High Water, these friends start anew.

"I want people to realize it's something different and also a little familiar," Robinson leaves off. "I hope they can connect it to the records that defined their lives. Music is there to give us joy, perspective, and show angles we haven't seen before. I appreciate it more than ever. It's a gift."

"I hope listeners can be relieved of some of their burdens by hearing us have fun and share our stories," smiles Hogg. "That's all I could ask for."

Ford concludes, "Ultimately, there's a spirit of reconciliation over the whole thing — because we all dropped a lot of bullshit to get together and make this music happen. There's freedom and power in that. It's a pretty righteous record as a result. It's a lot of grown men who have lived and are still standing to bravely and truthfully tell about it."

ROYAL TUSK has signed a worldwide deal with Entertainment One (eOne). The band's new album, "Tusk II", will be released on October 26. The first single from the disc, a song called "Aftermath", can be streamed below.

"'Aftermath' laments the way the constant bombardment of horrific events has desensitized us to ultra-violence," says vocalist Daniel Carriere. "I should be losing sleep / but losing isn't enough / because there's not a tragedy so bad it keeps me up."

Fans who pre-order the LP on iTunes will get "Aftermath" as an iTunes instant-grat track. "Aftermath" is available on all streaming platforms today.

Blue-collar troubadours from the Great White North, ROYAL TUSK are steadfast champions of the majesty of kickass riffs, meaty hooks, a thick bottom end, and loud guitars. The four-piece band born in Edmonton, Alberta mounts a high-octane assault on the lazy security-blanket, self-aware irony of hipsters and the disingenuous commercial pandering of rock poseurs alike. This is music with meaning, sometimes even a message, that's always built around a powerful vibe and uncompromising passion.

ROYAL TUSK is a deeply soulful celebration, brimming with working-class optimism and tempered by renegade realism. On its sophomore-slump-smashing "Tusk II", the group summons the effortless energy of an era of rock music when bands weren't content to merely reverse-engineer hit-making formulas to move units.

ROYAL TUSK is a band with more in common with DEEP PURPLE and AEROSMITH than anything on commercial radio.

"Tusk II" arrives on the heels of the band's well-received debut, "DealBreaker" (2016), and first EP "Mountain" (2014).

Trailblazers like SOUNDGARDEN, MUDHONEY and PEARL JAM defined success on their own terms, putting artistry and authenticity first. ROYAL TUSK follows in that fine tradition, reveling in unbridled creativity that is provocative, nuanced, and captivating. The laidback charisma of stoner groove, the polished melodicism of classic and progressive rock, and the energy of punk all collide within ROYAL TUSK, earning them a steadily building buzz as big as their riffs.

ROYAL TUSK is:

Daniel Carriere - Vocals/Guitars

Sandy MacKinnon - Bass

Quinn Cyrankiewicz - Guitar

Calen Stuckel - Drums

Irish thrashers GAMA BOMB will release their sixth album, "Speed Between The Lines", on October 12 via AFM Records. The disc will be available as a CD, clear yellow gatefold vinyl (limited to 250 units), turquoise gatefold vinyl (limited to 250 units), clear/red gatefold and vinyl red/black splatter (limited to 100 units), which is exclusively available in the AFM webshop.

An AFM press release states: "The Irish crazy gang return with a new monster of an album, putting the fast, fabulous and fun back into old-school thrash metal and dragging it kicking and screaming into present day.

With its crisp, clean production, distinctive lyrics, irresistible hooks and a huge sense of enjoyment, this new album is an absolute must for thrashers of all ages and fans of TANKARD, MUNICIPAL WASTE, HAVOK and WARBRINGER."

"Speed Between The Lines" track listing:

01. Give Me Leather

02. A Hanging

03. 666teen

04. Bring Out The Monster

05. R.I.P. U

06. Motorgeist

07. Alt-Reich

08. Stay Rotten

09. We R Going 2 Eat U

10. Kurt Russell

11. World Gone To Hell

12. Faceblaster

GAMA BOMB is:

Philly Byrne - Vocals

Domo Dixon - Lead Guitar

John Roche - Lead Guitar

Joe McGuigan - Bass, Vocals

Paul Caffrey - Drums

Drummer Jason Bonham rejoined his former bandmates in FOREIGNER on stage this past Wednesday, August 1 at the FivePoint Amphitheatre in Irvine, California to perform the group's classic song "Hot Blooded". Fan-filmed video footage of his appearance can be seen below.

Jason, son of LED ZEPPELIN drummer John Bonham, played drums live with FOREIGNER from 2004 to 2007 and part of 2007 to 2008.

JASON BONHAM'S LED ZEPPELIN EVENING (formerly known as JASON BONHAM'S LED ZEPPELIN EXPERIENCE) was the support act for FOREIGNER on the just-completed "The Juke Box Heroes Tour", also featuring WHITESNAKE.

Following his participation in the monumental reunion of LED ZEPPELIN at London's O2 arena in 2007, Jason Bonham decided to take the music his father was such a huge part of out on the road. The result became JASON BONHAM'S LED ZEPPELIN EVENING. Best described as a band that perfectly recreates the music of Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and John Bonham, JASON BONHAM'S LED ZEPPELIN EVENING not only celebrates one of music’s most iconic bands but also the life of Bonham's late father, who died in 1980.

When asked why he decided to start the project, Jason said: "It was medicine to relieve myself from the amount of LED ZEPPELIN that I had studied and rehearsed prior to the O2 show and then dealing with the realization that it wasn't going to go anywhere beyond that one concert. It originally began as me just wanting to put together a show, but once I realized I could make it more than just the music, it became something more. It gave me the opportunity to give a little nod to what everyone knows about my dad's wild side but also show his sensitive side as well. For me, he was always dad at home and this was an idea to show a deeper side of that."

Bon Jovi have released another official live video, shot in Philadelphia, PA on the 2018 This House Is Not For Sale tour. Watch the band perform "It's My Life" below:

Live clips for "I'll Be There For You" and "Livin' On A Prayer" can be seen below:

A series of videos recapping the North American tour leg of Bon Jovi's This House Is Not For Sale can be seen below:

Episode #1:

Episode #2:

Episode #3:

Episode #4:

Episode #5:

A unique and solemn spell seems to shroud every spot as soon as Portuguese alchemists Moonspell enters the stage - and it was a very special evening indeed when the band played an exceptional show at the Campo Pequeno arena in their hometown Lissabon on February 4th, 2017. That inimitable bond between the gothic metal act and 4,000 of their fans in the sold-out venue is pure electricity, captured for all eternity on the massive Live DVD/Blu-Ray/3CD package Lisboa Under The Spell which will be released on August 17th via Napalm Records.

Watch "Herr Spiegelmann" from the upcoming release below.

The band on the video: "'Herr Spiegelmann', or Mr. Mirrorman, is a song inspired by the amazing book of Patrick Suskind, The Perfume. I guess everybody knows that book, if not shame on you. I wrote the lyrics to the "execution scene" where people start seeing on the tortured, beaten down man on the stake, everything wonderful they want to see. Like a mirror man, reflecting their fears and ambitions and most secret wishes. I really love this song and the visual part of it was specially designed for this show, with the laser gloves and the mirror jacket, in a tentative to convey the eerie and psychedelic atmosphere of the song. I hope you guys enjoy this advance from Lisboa Under the Spell, as it does reflect the struggle for an original and emotional cut of the songs, just like a Moonspell show should be, add magic."

The band on the new live epos: "We are thrilled to announce the release of our brand new Live DVD/Blu-Ray/3CD, Live album, entitled Lisboa Under The Spell! It was recorded live on our breathtaking capitol city of Lisbon and it’s nothing short of an epic trek of more than three action packed hours! We have played Wolfheart, Irreligiosuplus Extinct in full, invited a bunch of guests, summoned our biggest strength to be up to the task, and it feels awesome to unleash a long awaited live release from Moonspell. This edition will be full packed with amazing material, bonus CDs from the shows, a in depth documentary about the band, top sound, dramatic flair and a human picture of thousands of Portuguese witches and wolves under the spell. A great document of what we are on and off stage. Don’t miss out and visit Lisbon through the eyes of Moonspell fans and the genius work of director Victor Castro."

It was definitely about time, since Moonspell aficionados have been thirsting for a new live release ever since Lusitanian Metal (2008). Thus, Lisboa Under The Spell is not simply a visual testimony to the success of Portugal`s biggest metal band - it is a celebration of the unbound creativity and pure magic that is Moonspell.

Lisboa Under The Spell will be available in the following formats:

- BD/DVD/3-CD DVDPac (6 pages Digipack, 28 pages booklet, 29 tracks + Rockumentary, 3 full length filmed shows, behind the scenes & making of videos, Gallery)

- 3LP Gatefold (29 tracks) Black/Gold/Blue Vinyl

- LTD Deluxe Fanbox incl.

* BD/DVD/3-CD DVD Pac
* Coverflag
* Lanyard & Pass
* Pendant
* Patch

Pre Order Lisboa Under The Spell here.

Tracklisting:

I - Rockumentary - band documentary by Victor Castro

II - Wolfheart Show - full album played live

"Wolfshade (A Werewolf Masquerade)"
"Love Crimes"
"Of Dream And Drama"
"Lua D’inverno"
"Trebaruna"
"Ataegina"
"Vampiria"
"An Erotic Alchemy"
"Alma Mater"

III - Irreligious Show - full album played live

"Perverse Almost Religious"
"Opium"
"Awake!"
"For A Taste Of Eternity"
"Ruin & Misery"
"A Poisoned Gift"
"Raven Claws" (Feat. Mariangela Demurtas)
"Mephisto"
"Herr Spiegelmann"
"Fullmoon Madness"

IV - Extinct Show - full album played live

"All Gone From The Wild" (Intro)
"Breathe (Until We Are No More)"
"Extinct" (Feat. Carolina Torres)
"Medusalem"
"Domina"
"The Last Of Us"
"Malignia"
"Funeral Bloom"
"A Dying Breed"
"The Future Is Dark"

V - Making Of - show day

VI - Gallery - live and backstage pics

"Alma Mater" video:

Teaser:

Tour dates:

August
3 - Ostrava, Czech Republic - Ostrava Vplamenech

September (with Amorphis, Dark Tranquillity, Omnium Gatherum)
7 - New York, NY - Gramercy Theater
8 - Montreal, QC - Cafe Campus
9 - Quebec City, QC - Imperial de Quebec
10 - Toronto, ON - Opera House
11 - Ft Wayne, IN - Pierre's
12 - Detroit, MI - Harpo's
13 - Joliet, Il - The Forge
14 - Minneapolis, MN - The Cabooze
15 - Winnipeg, MN - Park Theatre
17 - Edmonton, AB - The Starlite Room
18 - Calgary, AB - Dickens
19 - Vancouver, BC - Rickshaw Theater
20 - Seattle, WA - El Corazon
22 - Berkeley, CA - The UC Theatre
23 - Anaheim, CA - City National Grove
24 - West Hollywood, CA - Whiskey a Go Go
25 - San Diego, CA - Brick By Brick
26 - Tempe, AZ - Marquee Theatre
27 - Las Vegas, NV - House of Blues
28 - Salt Lake City, UT - Liquid joe's
29 - Denver, CO - Herman's Hideaway

October (with Amorphis, Dark Tranquillity, Omnium Gatherum)
1 - Dallas, TX - Trees
2 - San Antonio, TX - Rock Box
3 - Houston, TX - Scout Bar
5 - Tampa, FL - Orpheum
6 - West Palm Beach, FL - Kelsey Theater
7 - Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade
9 - Louisville, KY - Diamond Pub and Billiards
10 - Durham, NC - Motorco
11 - Baltimore, MD - Soundstage
12 - Philadelphia, PA - The Trocadero
14 - Clifton Park, NY - Upstate Concert Hall

Lineup:

Fernando Ribeiro - Vocals
Ricardo Amorim - Guitar
Pedro Paixão - Guitar, Keyboard
Aires Pereira - Drums
Mike Gaspar - Bass

Tarja's live-art-album and video, Act II, is out now via earMUSIC. Watch "Until My Last Breath" (Live In London) from the new release:

Filmed during Tarja's world tour The Shadow Shows, during which the influential heavy rock singer circled the world 7.5 times with over 300,000 km travelled and played over 200 shows in 40 countries in front of 1 million people, Act II consists of the singer's very intimate 75-minute set filmed and recorded live at the Metropolis Studio in London, UK and the breathtaking live performance of one of her shows in Milan, Italy, and previously unreleased interviews and photo galleries.

The theatrical rock adventure Act II combines two incredible, yet slightly different live performances on video:

The first chapter, Metropolis Alive, has been filmed two months prior to the release of Tarja's 2016 success The Shadow Self. Twenty winners from all over Europe were lucky to witness Tarja's intimate, yet rocking set at renowned Metropolis Studios in London, where the singer performed songs from her then unreleased album - for the first time in front of an audience.

Act II is the second chapter and was recorded on November 29th, 2016 at the magnificent Teatro della Luna Allago in Milan, Italy and includes numerous hits from all four Tarja albums such as "Innocence," "Die Alive," "Until My Last Breath," as well as an incredible cover of Muse's classic "Supremacy." That night's set list also enchants the soprano's long-time fans with a medley consisting of the distinctive Nightwish evergreens: "Ever Dream," "Slaying The Dreamer," and "The Riddler." It was all topped off with a remarkable acoustic set, which presented Tarja classics in a brand new way.

Even though the shows deliberately differ in look, sound, approach to the music and adrenaline, both have one thing in common: from the very first to the very last tune, the state of the art production displays Tarja's energetic performance and her graceful, charming presence.

A wide variety of exclusive, limited fan items and bundles can be found on Tarja’s official web shop here.

"Victim Of Ritual" video:

"Undertaker" video:

“Love To Hate" video:

Unboxing video:

Germany's Lord Of The Lost will release their sixth studio album, Thornstar, tomorrow (August 3rd) via Napalm Records. Pre-order Thornstar here, and find an official lyric video for the track "Haythor" below.

Tracklisting:

CD1
"On This Rock I Will Build My Church"
"Loreley"
"Black Halo"
"In Our Hands"
"Morgana"
"Haythor"
"Naxxar"
"Cut Me Out"
"The Mortarian"
"Under The Sun"
"In Darkness, In Light"
"Forevermore"
"Ruins"

CD2
"Abracadabra" (feat. Dero Goi)
"Voodoo Doll"
"The Art Of Love"
"Lily Of The Vale"
"Penta"
"Free Radicals"
"Live Pray Die Repeat"

"Haythor" lyric video:

"Morgana" video:

"On This Rock I Will Build My Church" video:

Rise Of The Thornstar Documentary Part 1:

Rise Of The Thornstar Documentary Part 2:

Lord Of The Lost tour dates are listed below. Buy tickets here.

October
4 - Frankfurt, Germany - Batschkapp
5 - Hannover, Germany - Musikzentrum
6 - Berlin, Germany - Columbia Theater
11 - Nuremberg, Germany - Hirsch
12 - Cologne, Germany - Essigfabrik
13 - Dresden, Germany - Alter Schlachthof
18 - Pratteln, Switzerland - Z7
19 - Munich, Germany - Backstage
20 - Stuttgart, Germany - Im Wizemann
26 - Leipzig, Germany - Werk 2
27 - Hamburg, Germany - Markthalle
31 - Barcelona, Spain - Salamandra 1

November
1 - Toulouse, France - Rex
2 - Nantes, France - Ferrailleur
3 - Paris, France - Boule Noire
21 - Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK - The Cluny
22 - Glasgow, UK - Ivory Blacks
23 - Manchester, UK - The Ruby Lounge
24 - London, UK - Electrowerkz
25 - Bristol, UK - The Fleece Bristol

(Photo - Franz Schepers)

UK-based Bloodstock Open Air has posted pro-shot footage of Canadian thrashers Annihilator in action in August 2017. Check it out below. The setlist was as follows:

"King Of The Kill"
"No Way Out"
"Set The World On Fire"
"W.T.Y.D."
"Twisted Lobotomy"
"Alison Hell"
"Phantasmagoria"
"Human Insecticide"

In the clip below, Annihilator frontman / founder Jeff Waters talks new CD writing, off to the UK and news coming up there, festivals, the fan show in Munich, headline tour, and being sweaty and greasy with a Sambo shirt on.

Annihilator frontman / founder Jeff Waters recently checked in with the following update:

"We are totally fired up with announcing a two month European headline tour we ae calling A Tour For The Demented. This tour will start in October 2018 a run into December. Also exciting is that we are planning to bring a bigger-than-usual stage show with us, as venue sizes are increasing for us and we also want to give you the best visual experience we can. Annihilator has always been about the music and the live energy but A Tour For The Demented is going to be something to see as well! Get your tix and looking forward to seeing you all!"

Ticket links are available here.

With their new album Vicious out now (as of July 27th), US rockers Halestorm have shared two new tracks: "Buzz" and "Heart Of Novocaine". Check out the official visualizers below.

Recorded earlier this year at Nashville, Tennessee's Rock Falcon recording studio with producer Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters, Alice In Chains, Rush), Vicious is available at all DSPs and streaming services.

Deluxe album packages are available for pre-order exclusively at the band’s official webstore, including the new album on standard vinyl, plus a limited edition opaque purple double vinyl with enhanced cover art and bonus tracks, limited to 1,500 units worldwide. Also exclusively available at the webstore are a limited edition t-shirt, dog tag necklace, autographed poster, and a free album cover magnet with physical album purchase while supplies last.

Vicious tracklisting:

"Black Vultures"
"Skulls"
"Uncomfortable"
"Buzz"
"Do Not Disturb"
"Conflicted"
"Killing Ourselves To Live"
"Heart Of Novocaine"
"Painkiller"
"White Dress"
"Vicious"
"The Silence"

"Black Vultures" visualizer:

"Uncomfortable" video:

"Uncomfortable" behind the scenes:

Find Halestorm's live itinerary here.

South Korean symphonic black metal band Dark Mirror Ov Tragedy has joined the ranks at Sliptrick Records. Their sound is described as “naturalness within unnaturalness, or the gathering between sorrow and ecstasy.”

From various forms of musical expression, the Dark Mirror Ov Tragedy themes use spontaneous minor key melodies which deeply infect the listener’s sensitivity. Coming from the existing local music standards, their breaking and mixing of musical styles is not easily categorized. The group have an inclination toward experimental and progressiveness which further incite and stimulate the listener’s mind. All coming from their strong creative base. Dark Mirror Ov Tragedy, with their flashing musical sensibilities and outstanding song-writing pay close attention to their evolving course.

The band name Dark Mirror Ov Tragedy is taken from the Middle-age prophet Nostradamus, who saw through his mirror, a dark and cursed future. Like their name, the music is the combination of small pieces of echoing memories from their own life experiences carved together by going back and forth from the dark to the light. They conjure these sources with basic instruments such as guitar, bass, drums and keyboard with a natural combination of minor keys which fully express their eastern sentiments.

Classical gothic music is the outstanding essence of Dark Mirror Ov Tragedy, with anguished vocals and brooding instruments performing chapters and poems which evoke nothingness and wholeness, darkness and daylight, beauty and ugliness!

The Lord Ov Shadows - release date TBA 2018 - on Sliptrick Records.

For further details, visit Dark Mirror Ov Tragedy on Facebook.

 

Redemption are streaming their cover of U2's "New Year's Day", featured on their seventh full-length album, Long Night's Journey Into Day, out now. Listen below, and order the album here.

Long Night's Journey Into Day tracklisting:

"Eyes You Dare Not Meet In Dreams"
"Someone Else's Problem"
"The Echo Chamber"
"Impermanent"
"Indulge In Color"
"Little Men"
"And Yet"
"The Last Of Me"
"New Year's Day"
"Long Night's Journey Into Day"

"New Year's Day":

"Someone Else's Problem" video:

"Little Men":

"Indulge In Color" playthrough video:

Redemption guitarist Nik van Dyk recently issued the following update: "For those of you in Los Angeles who have been curious about my band, I'm pleased to announce we are playing the world famous Whiskey on the Sunset Strip on September 19th. Make me proud and let's sell out!"

For ticket information go to this location.

As previously announced, Redemption will appear at ProgPower USA 2018 on September 8th in Atlanta, GA, with more US dates coming soon.

Redemption lineup:

Tom Englund - vocals
Nick van Dyk - guitars
Sean Andrews - bass
Chris Quirarte - drums
Vikram Shankar - keyboards

(Photo - Stephanie Cabral)

Manchester's Leeched have released a video for "By The Factories", a track from their upcoming album You Took The Sun When You Left, out on August 24th via Prosthetic Records. Pre-order here, and watch the video below.

Barely a year after they formed, and with an incessantly intense EP - Nothing Will Grow From The Rotten Ground - already under their belts, Leeched are taking a fast-paced swipe at the world around them. Bands sharing a distaste for the status quo, or a dissatisfaction for the world around them may not be something new, but few bands are doing it with the vitriol and vehemence that is offered up on You Took The Sun When You Left.

Tracklisting:

"Cripple The Herd"
"Rope"
"The Stone And The Steel"
"By The Factories"
"Guilt"
"A Mouth Full Of Dirt"
"Born In Sand"
"Raised By Lead"
"Hollow-Point Weddings"
"Harrow The Pastures"
"You Took The Sun When You Left"

"By The Factories" video:

"The Stone and The Steel" video:

"Guilt":

Taking influence from every dark and dingy corner of extreme music, Leeched may be moving at break-neck speed, but they're a band who are quickly finding their feet - both in the studio and out on the road.

Tour dates:

August
20 - Asylum 2 - Birmingham, UK ^
21 - Trillians - Newcastle, UK ^
22 - Rough Trade - Bristol, UK ^
23 - The Underworld - London, UK ^
24 - The Green Door Store - Brighton, UK ^
25 - Break The Chains Festival - Leeds, UK

^ - With Full of Hell

Leeched is:

Laurie - Bass/Vocals
Judd - Guitar
Tom - Drums

(Photo - Polarise Photography)

Unholy Baptism returns with their sophomore album Volume I: The Bonds Of Servitude, out on October 5th. The album track "Whispers Of Power Eternal" is available for streaming below.

Produced, mixed, and mastered at Black Goat Studios in Flagstaff, AZ, the album has improved on virtually all aspects of the band's debut, ...On The Precipice Of The Ancient Abyss. The album is the first instalment in a trilogy the band is writing, exploring new themes and songwriting techniques. Staying true to their black metal roots, Volume I: The Bonds Of Servitude has cemented the band's signature USBM sound while bringing a more polished production to the table.

Mantus, the band's lead vocalist and bassist, said of the new release: "The album is the beginning of a trilogy exploring the unrepentant darkness of the human condition and the inconceivable power of the gods deep within the farthest reaches of the universe. This album explores the human consciousness and the opening of the mind to the vast, overwhelming power that exists outside of this terrestrial prison."

Tracklisting:

"Intro: The Awakening Of Forgotten Gods"
"...These Scars Are Wounds Unhealed"
"Shattered"
"Withering Woods"
"Whispers Of Power Eternal"
"Peering Into The Flames Of Enlightenment"
"Noctis Maleficarum"
"Baptized In The Majesty Of Satan"

"Whispers Of Power Eternal":

Bay Area rock band Stimuli create thoughtful and heavy rock music about the human condition, delivered through Jimmy Tomahawk's melodic and edgy vocals and spacious and heavy guitar riffing, Tai Hake's solid and snarling bass tones, and Cole Andrew's intricate and powerful drumming. Stimuli will release their first official full-length album titled They Are We in stores and online worldwide on August 17th. The album is a winding 11-track explosion of the trio's dense, ambitious, and fiercely original sound.

In April 2018, the band generated buzz when they released their debut single and music video for the album's title track, “They Are We.” The single knocks out a hard rock, radio-friendly sound that also exposes the introspective themes of understanding and empathy that permeates their new album. They Are We was recorded at the idyllic Russian River Studios on the Ingels Ranch in Talmage, California, where Tomahawk and Hake had previously recorded with their band Yeibichai. Ken Ingels, the owner of the studio, was extremely helpful, and they enlisted Andrew Miller to engineer and mix the album, and Mike Wells for mastering. For the artwork and album layout, the trio had their eyes photographed and then overlaid the irises so that the colors merge and overlap, accomplished thanks to the superb talents of Michael Miller at Digital Realm Productions, who brought their vision to life in a way that represents the music on the album exceptionally well.

Not only do Stimuli masterfully rock the traditional power trio format, the band also incorporates synth atmospherics and eclectic instrumentation that is not often associated with contemporary Hard Rock. Bassist Tai Hake also plays Theremin, and their music features Native American flute, sitar, acoustic guitar and ambient synthesizers. Lyrically, Stimuli's themes possess a rare depth - insightful and meaningful, ruminating on personal experiences and reflections about peace, empathy, destiny, and self-actualization. Combined together, Stimuli are a sort of “Thinking Person's Rock Band.”

While all members are of a shared generation, their influences run the gamut. The heavy, tight and polished sound of Stimuli has been compared to Alice In Chains, Black Sabbath, Soundgarden, Tool, Rush, and Nirvana. The individual and collective history of the band is just as varied and multi-faceted as their music. Comprised of seasoned musicians from around the world (drummer Cole Andrew is from Australia), Stimuli is a collage of three very strong-willed personalities who, like most productive collaborations, happen to have chemistry and work well together.

“Our music contains a strong emotional intensity with personal, social, and philosophical messages about the human experience,” explains guitarist/vocalist Jimmy Tomahawk. “Although there is an undeniably serious disposition in the band's message, as individuals, we don't take ourselves very seriously at all - satire, slapstick humor and wisecracks are the norm when we are together. It's a bit of a collective Jekyll & Hyde scenario, really. We try to remind ourselves that the initial spark of passion and the joy of playing music that caused us to pick up our instruments in the first place is why we do this!”

The formation of Stimuli began following the split of Bay Area rock band Yeibichai, the brainchild of Tomahawk and Hake. When Tomahawk came across a video of Cole Andrew demonstrating his powerful and detail-oriented drumming, he reached out and they began to jam. Tomahawk couldn't imagine any other bass player but Tai in the room with the sounds that he and Cole were creating. In 2013, Stimuli opened up shop in their new studio space at the fabled Soundwave Studios in Oakland. It was here that Stimuli became a band and their deep friendship and musical bond was solidified.

In early 2017 Stimuli found themselves at a crossroads. Things suddenly felt new, vivified, and stronger among the three of them, but a glaring question remained: who would be the voice of the band? Jimmy Tomahawk decided then that nothing was going to stop him from fulfilling his original plan as a young teenager of being the vocalist in his own band. With the encouraging support of his bandmates, Tomahawk began to write, and at some point along the way, singing became as fluid and as much of an unconscious operation for Tomahawk as playing guitar. In just a few short months the band was in the studio tracking drums and bass for the new album.

Stimuli feel an unprecedented sense of optimism and joy with the music they are making. The audiences are reciprocating that energy that is conveyed at their live shows with great fervor. With much more to come from this exciting new Bay Area rock band, it would appear that Stimuli are just getting started!

Pre-order here.

Tracklisting:

"+x-"
"They Are We"
"The New Dream"
"Sandstorm"
"Fire In Disguise"
"Ripple"
"Pill For The Pill"
"Only Liars"
"Prize Of Nothingness"
"How On Earth"
"Pushing The Stone"

"They Are We" video:

Icelandic classic rock trio The Vintage Caravan have released a first official video trailer for their upcoming fourth studio album Gateways, to be released on August 31st through Nuclear Blast.

Gateways can be pre-ordered in various formats here. The album will be available in the following formats:

- Digi
- 2LP (black, white)
- Digital

The band commented on their upcoming record, "We are very proud to present our new album, Gateways! Recorded in the legendary Sundlaugin Studios in Iceland (owned by Sigur Rós). Produced by Ian Davenport. Overall we think this album feels more mature than the previous ones. We really pushed ourselves to make this album sound as great as possible. I won't name any names but some people have been heard saying this is the greatest thing since sliced bread. We can't wait for you all to hear it/taste it."

Gateways tracklisting:

"Set Your Sights"
"The Way"
"Reflections"
"On The Run"
"All This Time"
"Hidden Streams"
"Reset"
"Nebula"
"Farewell"
"Tune Out"

Bonus Track (Digi and 2LP only)
"The Chain" (Fleetwood Mac cover)

"Set Your Sights" visualizer:

"Reflections":

Teaser:

US power metal band Dire Peril, made up of guitarist Jason Ashcraft (Helion Prime) and vocalist John Yelland (Judicator), have released their first single, "Heart Of The Furyan", off their long awaited debut album The Extraterrestrial Compendium, to be released worldwide via Divebomb Records on November 9th.

Jason Ashcraft comments: "I know the album doesn't come out for roughly four more months but we have a few things in the works that I really wanted a song out to showcase how the band sounds now and who we currently are. Also I'm just to excited to not share this album with everyone that I really couldn't wait any longer."

Listen to "Heart Of The Furyan" below.

The album will consist of twelve full length tracks each inspired from a different science fiction movie. It will feature guest performances from Arjen Anthony Lucassen (Ayreon) and Brittney Slayes (Unleash The Archers).

The album was mixed by Carlos Alvarez at Dirty Viking Audio Productions and mastered by Brett Caldas-Lima at Tower Studio. Cover art for the album was done by Gwen Vibancos. Cover art for the single was done by Jill Colbert at Manfish Inc.

The single "Heart Of The Furyan" is based on the character Riddick from the The Chronicles Of Riddick series that started in 2000 with the film Pitch Black.

Ashcraft comments, “I have been biting my tongue, mostly, for about three years now that we got Arjen to perform on one of our tracks. Those who know me understand that this is a dream come true for me. Arjen is a huge inspiration to myself and my music, and to have had the honor to work with him is something that will be a main highlight throughout my career. He is very humble and great to work with. I hope everyone is as pleased with the outcome as I am.”

Each of The Extraterrestrial Compendium’s 12 tracks is based on a sci-fi film. “I always loved the idea behind Iced Earth’s Horror Show - making each song based on a famous monster film. If it isn’t obvious from the music, I’m somewhat of an Iced Earth fan,” states Jason, “so when coming up with ideas for this debut, I thought it would be cool to take a similar direction, but with something that I’m passionate about. As you can see by the final result, we get an album based on some of my all-time favorite sci-fi films. It was certainly hard to choose, as I could probably make Dire Peril’s entire career on favorite films alone.”

Together, the duo - through many obstacles - is prepared to present The Extraterrestrial Compendium to the world, as well as the friends and fans who have waited so patiently.

Yelland notes, “Working on this album was a joy. I had always admired Jason’s material, so the opportunity to collaborate with him was irresistible. I am so proud of what we have accomplished, and can’t wait to share this - and more - with the world...”

Stay tuned for further announcements from the band which will include pre-orders of the album.

The Extraterretrial Compendium tracklisting:

"Yautja (Hunter Culture)"
"Planet Preservation"
"Enemy Mine"
"The Visitor"
"Total Recall"
"Queen Of The Galaxy" +
"Roughnecks"
"Blood In The Ice"
"Heart Of The Furyan"
"Altair IV: The Forbidden Planet"
"Always Right Here"
"Journey Beyond The Stars" ++

+ Features Brittney Slayes
++ Features Arjen Anthony Lucassen

"Heart Of The Furyan":

Haken have announced details of their upcoming fifth studio album Vector, out on October 26th. The album was produced by the band themselves, and recorded and mixed by Adam ‘Nolly’ Getgood (Periphery, Devin Townsend Project), with the artwork once again being handled by Blacklake.

The band comments: “On the back of celebrating the 10 year anniversary of our conception, all of us here in the Haken camp are extremely excited to begin this new chapter of our career and share Vector with the world.”

The album will be available as limited edition 2CD Digipak (including instrumental versions), gatefold vinyl 2LP + CD, & as digital download.

Tracklisting:

"Clear"
"The Good Doctor"
"Puzzle Box"
"Veil"
"Nil By Mouth"
"Host"
"A Cell Divides"

To celebrate the announcement of the new album, the band are opening up a unique opportunity for one fan’s artwork to be used as the etching on the fourth side of the vinyl LP version of the record. Haken are inviting fans to submit their own version of the Rorschach test ink-blot image which graces the album’s cover, and one winner’s art will be picked by the band to be etched into every vinyl copy of Vector.

Submissions are open now, closing on August 10th, and can be sent to drrex@hakenmusic.com.

Watch a clip of Charlie & Rich from Haken explaining the competition below:

 
Since their inception in 2007, Haken have shown over four previous studio albums, one EP and a live release that they never stand still, merely satisfied to rely on past triumphs. Rather, Haken always look for ways to challenge themselves as musicians and artists, and also to keep the listeners on their collective toes. “We don't like to make simple music,” laughs vocalist Ross Jennings. “We always aim to defy expectations, and I believe we've surpassed what we aimed to achieve with our new album.”
 
Their fifth studio record sees the band going in a heavier direction with the music. “We’ve always had a heavy influence”, explains guitarist Charlie Griffiths, “but it was obvious from the riffs that were naturally coming out of us early in the writing process that this would be a more metal album. These are some of the most riff driven songs we’ve ever written.” As is usual, Haken produced the album themselves, but for the first time they have enlisted Adam 'Nolly' Getgood during the recording and mixing stages. Formerly bassist with Periphery, in the last couple of years he has built a reputation as a fine producer. “We produced the album ourselves, as we always do,” insists Jennings. “But we're fans of what Adam has done with Periphery, Sikth and Devin Townsend. He has a great reputation for the heavier end of our genre”.
 
But if this album is musically heavy, then there's an underlying theme running through the seven songs which is certainly esoteric and fascinating. “The scene is set with the track The Good Doctor, which was a really fun song. Musically it feels like a logical step from 'Affinity', but lyrically it’s a bit more theatrical and about as ‘rock opera’ as Haken has ever got”, explains Griffiths. “It’s about a Doctor with an intriguing, perhaps sinister interest in a particular patient. From there the story enters the point-of-view of the patient - who appears to be catatonic, but his mind is sparking with what could be memories, or delusions brought on by the treatment he’s receiving - we leave this up to the listeners to decide. Although we don’t want to give too much away, people who are familiar with our back catalogue will have fun discovering further clues we’ve planted throughout the album. And that's the challenge for the fans - to find out for themselves their own meaning for 'Vector' as an album”.
 
The band recently announced North American co-headline dates alongside Norway’s Leprous, and label-mates Bent Knee, in what is an all InsideOutMusic bill. These will be the first live shows in support of Vector, and you can find the full list of dates below:

Dates:

October
30 - The Crofoot Ballroom - Pontiac, MI
31 - Opera House - Toronto, ON

November
2 - Underground Arts - Philadelphia, PA
3 - Highline Ballroom - New York, NY
4 - The Sinclair - Boston, MA
6 - Soundstage - Baltimore, MD
7 - Cat’s Cradle - Carrboro, NC
8 - The Orpheum - Tampa, FL
9 - Revolution - Fort Lauderdale, FL
10 - The Plaza Live - Orlando, FL
11 - Variety Playhouse - Atlanta, GA
13 - Gas Monkey - Dallas, TX
14 - Barracuda - Austin, TX
16 - Crescent Ballroom - Phoenix, AZ
17 - Glasshouse - Pomona, CA
18 - August Hall - San Francisco, CA
19 - Hawthorne Theatre - Portland, OR
20 - The Crocodile - Seattle, WA
21 - Rickshaw Theater - Vancouver, BC
23 - Metro Music Hall - Salt Lake City, UT
24 - Bluebird Theater - Denver, CO
25 - Granada Theater - Lawrence, KS
26 - Delmar Hall - St Louis, MO
27 - Exit/In - Nashville, TN
29 - Rex Theater - Pittsburgh, PA
30 - Beachland Ballroom - Cleveland, OH

December
1 - Bottom Lounge - Chicago, IL

Tickets available here.

(Photo - Will Ireland)

"A.W.O.L.", a new song from the British progressive metal band MONUMENTS, can be streamed below. The track is taken from the group's long-awaited third album, "Phronesis", which will be released on October 5 via Century Media Records.


"The word 'Phronesis' was a big part of society and philosophy in ancient Greece", explains MONUMENTS. "Phronesis is wisdom, but a really specific type of wisdom to do with oneself. Wisdom on your practical actions, good judgement, being excellent in character, practical wisdom. Learning what to do and what not to do based on experience, being mindful of everything around you. Something that, at times, all of us can be pretty terrible at."

After touring the world heavily in support of its "The Amanuensis" album (2014), the intercontinental quintet needed to take a break and catch a breath for multiple reasons. However, the band kept working on "Phronesis".

"My personal relationship with the meaning of the record starts at 'Stygian Blue', which was the second song I wrote for this back in 2015, and it came to be while I was in the darkest place I've ever been in my 32 years", says guitarist John Browne. "We all had a bunch of issues that needed time to let heal so, in between writing we were, you know, fixing our broken souls."

Writing about topics that would be troubling their minds acted as a catharsis though, so "Phronesis" works as a turning point of the progressive metal band on many levels. The independently produced album was finally recorded between March and July of 2018 in various studios throughout the world: while guitars and bass were recorded by Jim Pinder (BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, MACHINE HEAD, WHILE SHE SLEEPS) at Treehouse Studios in Derbyshire, U.K., the drums were played, recorded, tracked and engineered by Anup Sastry (ex-SKYHARBOR). Chris Barretto recorded his vocals with Cristian Machado (ILL NIŇO, LEEWAY) at Soundwars Studios in New Jersey, then everything was mixed and mastered by Joel Wanasek at JTW Music in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

"Phronesis" is available as standard CD jewelcase, gatefold LP+CD and digital album.


The track listing reads as follows:

01. A.W.O.L.

02. Hollow King

03. Vanta

04. Mirror Image

05. Ivory

06. Stygian Blue

07. Leviathan

08. Celeste

09. Jukai

10. The Watch


MONUMENTS is:

Chris Barretto - Vocals

John Browne - Guitar

Olly Steele - Guitar

Adam Swan - Bass

Daniel "Lango" Lang - Drums

Fan-filmed video footage of ANTHRAX performing a snippet of PANTERA's "Cowboys From Hell" during its July 31 concert at The Pavilion at Montage Mountain in Scranton, Pennsylvania can be seen below.

During an appearance on Eddie Trunk's SiriusXM tribute show to Vinnie Paul Abbott in late June, ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante said that he met the former PANTERA drummer for the first time when ANTHRAX made its Texas live debut more than 30 years ago. "And those guys [PANTERA] were there," he said. "We played at this club, and I believe PANTERA were the opening band. A mutual friend of ours, who everybody knows now — Rita [Haney, longtime girlfriend of PANTERA guitarist 'Dimebag' Darrell Abbott] — she kind of was the conduit to grouping us together to become friendly. We've known those guys since 1985, and just the two of them, Darrell and Vinnie, after you met those two, it was like you had a friend in Texas, both of them, and they just made the experience so much better, and you immediately bonded. So throughout the years, we just remained friends."

Benante went on to draw a parallel between PANTERA and another legendary rock band which featured siblings who achieved notability together.

"I always equated Dime and Vinnie as, like, Alex and Eddie from VAN HALEN; I always thought PANTERA was like VAN HALEN reborn," he said. "They had a guitar player, who was a hero. The drummers were fucking awesome, but the thing about Vinnie that, I think, not a lot of people know — maybe they do — but from a technical side of things, Vinnie made those PANTERA records sound like that. He was the guy behind it all who was turning the knobs, EQing shit so that his kick drum wasn't fighting with Darrell's fucking chunky guitar. He was a lot of the brains and the glue that held that band together and, basically, pushed that band."

Vinnie passed away on June 22 at his home in Las Vegas at the age of 54. The drummer's death "did not appear suspicious," according to the official report of the event recorded by Metropolitan Police officers. Sources close to Vinnie told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that he suffered a "major heart attack," but that information has not been corroborated yet by an official source.

RUSH vocalist/bassist Geddy Lee will release "Geddy Lee's Big Book Of Beautiful Bass", a book showcasing his collection of bass guitars and the stories behind them, on December 4 via Harper Design, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

Geddy's love of the bass has been nurtured over a lifetime spent in the limelight as one of the world's premier rock bassists. For the past seven years, he's dedicated himself to studying the history of the instrument thats been so essential to his career, collecting hundreds of basses from around the globe, 250 of which are presented here in breathtaking detail with specially commissioned photography by Richard Sibbald.

Representing every tone in the bass palette, every nuance of the rock and roll genre as well as blues, jazz, pop, and country, this one-of-a-kind collection features so-called "beauty queens" — pristine instruments never lifted from their cases—as well as "road warriors" — well-worn, sweat-soaked basses that proudly show their age and use. Complete with personal commentary from Geddy that showcases his knowledge both as a musician and an aficionado, this luxuriously produced volume is a revelatory look at the heavy hitters in the world of bass — Fender, Gibson/Epiphone, Rickenbacker, Höfner, Ampeg — and lesser known but influential global luthiers such as Antonio Wandr Pioli, Dan Armstrong and Tony Zemaitis.

The book also features interviews with John Paul Jones (LED ZEPPELIN); Adam Clayton (U2); Robert Trujillo (METALLICA); Jeff Tweedy (WILCO); Bill Wyman (THE ROLLING STONES); Les Claypool (PRIMUS); Bob Daisley (RAINBOW); Fender expert and owner of the legendary Gibson Explorer, Bass Ken Collins; veteran guitar tech for THE WHO, Alan Rogan; plus comments from many other great players across three decades of rock and roll.

Written in Geddy's singular voice, this book reveals the stories, songs, and history behind the instruments of his inimitable collection. Complete with an index and a graphically designed timeline of the history of the bass, as well as an up-close look at Geddy's basses on RUSH's final "R40" tour, his stage and recording gear from 1968 to 2017, and forewords by author and respected vintage expert, Terry Foster, and RUSH bandmember Alex Lifeson, "Geddy Lee's Big Book Of Beautiful Bass" is the ultimate compendium for the consummate collector, musician, RUSH fan, and anyone who loves the bass guitar.

"It's not surprising that sooner or later I'd dive down the proverbial rabbit hole into the world of vintage bass guitars," said Lee.

Axl Rose is not ruling out recording new music with the partial reunion of GUNS N' ROSES' classic lineup.

Asked in a rare interview with Iceland Magazine if he has considered putting out new material with the current lineup of GUNS N' ROSES, more than two years after the launch of the band's "Not In This Lifetime" tour, Axl said: "Right now our focus is on touring and the shows, but everyone seems to be getting along, so you never know."

Rose also talked about how he and his bandmates manage to deliver such high-quality performances night after night, despite the fact that each concert is more than two hours long.

"Everyone just wants to do their best for the fans, each other and our crew," he said. "Everyone pushes each other with their performance and commitment. And with highlights, every show, every crowd is different with something to remember about each one."

GUNS kicked off its long-rumored and long-awaited reunion tour in April 2016 with a club show in Hollywood and appearances in Las Vegas and at California's Coachella festival.

The "Not In This Lifetime" tour features classic lineup members Rose, Slash (guitar) and Duff McKagan (bass) backed by guitarist Richard Fortus, drummer Fank Ferrer, keyboardist Dizzy Reed and new second keyboardist Melissa Reese.

The last GUNS studio album, "Chinese Democracy", came out in 2008 and featured only Axl Rose from the band's classic lineup. The last album on which Rose, McKagan and Slash appeared together was 1993's covers set "The Spaghetti Incident?"

IN THIS MOMENT guitarist Chris Howorth has told Guitar Interactive magazine that the band will tentatively enter the studio in February 2019 to begin recording its next album.

Regarding how the songwriting process in IN THIS MOMENT works, Howorth said (see video below): "It kind of depends. It could any way. The last two records we've done, we kind of went in with nothing — maybe a couple of ideas, or three or four little ideas, but really not much. The whole idea is to create it in the studio, and it's fresh. And that's what we did last time. And it does literally start from a little thing Maria [Brink, vocals] has in her head, or a guitar idea that Maria is, like, 'Oh, I like that. I can sing over that.' With this next album we're getting ready to do, we're actually working on stuff now so that we have more when we go in — just so that there's a little less pressure. More than we know we like, so we're not, like, 'Eh, I don't like that. Let's start something else.' And then there was two weeks that just went down the drain."

IN THIS MOMENT's latest album, 2017's "Ritual", included an eerie cover of Phil Collins' "In The Air Tonight", and Brink told KLAQ's Lisa Sanchez that there is a good chance the follow-up effort will see the band tackling yet another classic song.

"I don't what we're gonna do yet, but I definitely wanna do [a cover]," Maria said. "I love doing covers. Labels always like 'em anyway, cause they use 'em for other things and stuff too. So I'm actually on the hunt right now [for] what to cover."

"Ritual" was produced by IN THIS MOMENT's longtime collaborator — and multiple Grammy Award nominee — Kevin Churko (FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, OZZY OSBOURNE).

BLACK STAR RIDERS guitarist Scott Gorham has confirmed to Planet Rock that the band is planning to enter the studio early next year to begin recording its follow-up to 2017's "Heavy Fire" album. "I've got a few riffs that are coming out," he said at this past weekend's Steelhouse Festival in Wales (see video below). "I've already showed them to the guys, and everybody is jumping all over them. We're due to start recording our fourth album in February. So we're already… I think Ricky [Warwick, vocals/guitar], lyrically, has probably got three-quarters of the album already written. It's just now down to us collaborating [on] the chord sequences and the riffs and whatever, if we're gonna put harmony bits in there and all that. So we're a pretty well-oiled machine on that side."

The 67-year-old rocker, who joined Phil Lynott's THIN LIZZY in 1974, also talked about the decision to form BLACK STAR RIDERS in 2012 and not continue with the THIN LIZZY name out of respect for Phil, who died in 1986.

"I still think that was absolutely the right way to go, the right thing to do," Scott said. "And yes, we were, at one point, thinking about doing another THIN LIZZY album, but, as time rolled on, I just personally became more and more uncomfortable with that whole way of thinking. Especially because it's my buddy Phil, man — he was the guy that introduced me to all of this stuff. And I'm gonna go out and take the name and record another album without him standing in the middle? I just got too uncomfortable with that, and I had to voice that opinion to everybody else who was involved with it at the time. And, to be quite honest, I think everybody was actually relieved, because they didn't want to have to compete with other THIN LIZZY albums. And we knew that probably some of the fans were not gonna like it, so I didn't wanna alienate anybody."

Last year, BLACK STAR RIDERS inked a new worldwide deal with Nuclear Blast Entertainment, the label that has released all three of the band's albums so far: 2013's "All Hell Breaks Loose", 2015's "The Killer Instinct" and "Heavy Fire".


"Heavy Fire" was a worldwide success, reaching position No. 6 on the U.K. chart, No. 11 on the German chart, and No. 91 on U.S. Current Top Albums chart.

"Ravenswood", the new video from THE SKULL, the band featuring vocalist Eric Wagner and bassist Ron Holzner, formerly of metal legends TROUBLE, can be seen below. The song is taken from THE SKULL's sophomore album, "The Endless Road Turns Dark", which will be released on September 7 via Tee Pee Records. The LP was recorded in Chicago's Decade Music Studios with engineer Sanford Parker (YOB, TOMBS) and builds on the foundation laid by THE SKULL's debut album, "For Those Which Are Asleep", a recording that landed at or near the top of a host of 2014 year-end best of lists.

THE SKULL, which also features longtime CATHEDRAL drummer Brian Dixon, guitarist Lothar Keller (SACRED DAWN), and guitarist Rob Wrong (WITCH MOUNTAIN), creates classic SABBATH-ian doom with a psych-tinged metal vision. "The Endless Road Turns Dark" benefits greatly from the pedigree and experience of the band's members and pushes authentic, old-school metal to heavier and more foreboding places, fueled by burly riffing, metallic groove and a crushing punch. Ethereal and wonderfully moody with a heart of heavy metal beating at its center, the record delivers definitive doom metal full of powerful builds and mesmerizing dynamic range. More than a mere throwback, "The Endless Road Turns Dark" is the work of a band that respects their fans, understands their own history, and still has their ears open to the current doom metal landscape. A wicked exercise in heavy metal majesty, "The Endless Road Turns Dark" plays like a natural extension of the musicians exemplary work during their 20-plus years with TROUBLE and cements THE SKULL as modern-day doom metal royalty.

"The Endless Road Turns Dark" track listing:

01. The Endless Road Turns Dark

02. Ravenswood

03. Breathing Underwater

04. The Longing

05. From Myself Depart

06. As the Sun Draws Near

07. All That Remains (Is True)

08. Thy Will Be Done

DEAD CROSS, the Southern California hardcore outfit featuring Dave Lombardo (SLAYER, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, MISFITS), Mike Patton (FAITH NO MORE, TOMAHAWK), Justin Pearson (THE LOCUST, RETOX) and Michael Crain (RETOX, FESTIVAL OF DEAD DEER), has unveiled a video for "Church Of The Motherfuckers (Planet B Remix)". The track is taken from the foursome's recently released self-titled EP, available now via Ipecac Recordings.

"This is meant to be an extension to the original 'Church Of The Motherfuckers' video," explains Pearson of the Israel Henshaw- and Jay Strickland-directed clip. "Perhaps an interpretation but a realistic view or organized religion in the real world, and in modern times, which is unfortunate. Are well free in this world? This is Jesus Christ, this is religion."

PLANET B is the project from Pearson and Luke Henshaw (SONIDO DE LA FRONTERA). The duo's music lays somewhere just out of reach of genre, with aesthetics rooted in hip-hop, hardcore punk, turntablism and '70s/'80s horror movie soundtracks, all of which influenced this remix.

"Dead Cross" track listing:

01. Skin Of A Redneck

02. My Perfect Prisoner

03. Shillelagh (Panicker Remix)

04. Church Of The Motherfuckers (Planet B Remix)

The self-titled debut album from DEAD CROSS was released in August 2017 via Ipecac Recordings. The effort was helmed by producer Ross Robinson, who has previously worked with KORN, DEFTONES, SEPULTURA and LIMP BIZKIT, among others, and was mastered at Golden Mastering in Ventura, California.

Patton told Rolling Stone that he got involved with DEAD CROSS after reaching out to Lombardo to see if he could release the band's album on Ipecac. After getting a text from the drummer asking him to join the group, "my jaw dropped," the singer said. "I was like, 'Who, me? Hmm …' And I think it took like all of 30 seconds, but in a sarcastic way, I'm like, 'Yeah, of course. I can do this. Are you sure you want me?' So I kind of second-guessed him a little bit. And he said, 'Man, you'd be our dream vocalist.' And then it was just a matter of logistics. I decided to record it here in my basement, which is fitting. It shouldn't sound too polished."

Regarding DEAD CROSS's musical direction, Patton said: "To me, it is a traditional hardcore record. It is very pointed, direct and visceral. Like, I wasn't going to play keyboards, add samples or any kind of orchestration. It was like, 'Yo, just go for it.' In some ways, it reminded me of stuff that we had collectively all grown up with and loved when we were like teenagers — bands like the ACCÜSED, DEEP WOUND or SIEGE, stuff that was just brutal, uncompromising and right to the point. I was listening to all those bands again before this came to be, so it was already back infused in my blood. And now I got a chance to do a pencil-in-your-eye record."

Photo credit: Adam DeGross

There is no other true American rock band quite like LYNYRD SKYNYRD. The iconic Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductees are some of the most influential legends of our time.

"Live In Atlantic City", the band's brand new live release, pays tribute to and celebrates its legacy with the help of three incredible artists.

In the Decades Rock Arena in Atlantic City, LYNYRD SKYNYRD was joined by incredibly talented guest performers to create one uniquely magical night: 3 DOORS DOWN, who rose to international fame with their first single "Kryptonite"; Hank Williams Jr. (yes, the son of the country music singer Hank Williams); and the American singer and songwriter Bo Bice, who was a runner-up to Carrie Underwood in the fourth season of "American Idol".

Newly mixed and mastered, "Live In Atlantic City" celebrates the legend that is LYNYRD SKYNYRD in an energetic, 70-minute show. Each guest artist performs with LYNYRD SKYNYRD — thereof 3 DOORS DOWN's hit "Kryptonite" and Bo Bice's "The Real Thing", the title track to his album. The show peaks with a performance of the LYNYRD SKYNYRD originals — "Call Me The Breeze" and, of course, "Sweet Home Alabama" — performed by LYNYRD SKYNYRD together with all of the special guests.

"Live In Atlantic City" will be released as CD + Blu-ray digipak (limited first print run in fake leather), 2LP gatefold+download, DVD, Blu-ray, and digital on September 21 through earMUSIC.

Track listing:

01. Workin' For MCA

02. Red White and Blue (Love It Or Leave)

03. Gimme Three Steps

04. The Real Thing (feat. Bo Bice)

05. Gimme Back My Bullets (feat. Bo Bice)

06. Down South Jukin' (feat. Hank Williams Jr.)

07. Born To Boogie (feat. Hank Williams Jr.)

08. That Smell (feat. 3 Doors Down)

09. Kryptonite (feat. 3 Doors Down)

10. Saturday Night Special (feat. 3 Doors Down)

11. Call Me the Breeze

13. Sweet Home Alabama

14. Free Bird

DVD and Blu-ray also include "Bonus: Lynyrd Skynyrd Confidential"

Polish extreme metallers BEHEMOTH will release their new album, "I Loved You At Your Darkest", on October 5 via Nuclear Blast. While it certainly seems an unlikely title for a black metal band, its origin might surprise fans even more than the words themselves. "It's a verse from the Bible," frontman Nergal reveals. "It's actually a quote from Jesus Christ himself. For BEHEMOTH to use it as the basis of our record, it's sacrilege to the extreme."

As a foretaste for what to expect on the new album, BEHEMOTH has released a video for the first single, "God = Dog", that can be viewed below. The clip was directed by BEHEMOTH's longtime visual collaborators Grupa 13.


Of course, BEHEMOTH is no stranger to blasphemy. Over the course of the last 27 years, they've pushed the boundaries of black metal and heresy alike. While anti-Christian sentiment might seem like stale bread where most metal bands are concerned, for BEHEMOTH such ideas represent a very real threat to their physical freedom. Time and again, the government of their native Poland has charged them with various "crimes" such as tearing up a bible onstage in 2007 and using the Polish coat of arms on a BEHEMOTH t-shirt in 2017. "Obviously, stuff like that can piss you off. But I think it's good to be pissed off," Nergal says with a laugh. "Anger can be a massive driving force, especially when you make extreme music. But politically and socially, Poland is a very disparate country. You can never feel totally safe here. That makes it easier for me to get inspiration. If I lived in Holland or Australia, I don't think I'd be doing what I do now. You can do or be anything you want there. I'm a huge fan of that kind of freedom, but I don't really have it here. Struggling with that on a daily basis makes me who I am, and fuels my passion for this music."

Nergal and his bandmates — Orion (bass) and Inferno (drums) — have channeled that passion into "I Loved You At Your Darkest". A crushing salvo of black metal majesty replete with hellish riffs, thundering drum cannonades and soaring liturgical choirs reminiscent of classic horror cinema, the album is also bejeweled with nimble-fingered rock guitar solos on songs like "God = Dog", "Ecclesia Diabolica Catholica" and "Sabbath Mater".

"I really wanted to redefine ourselves with this record," Nergal explains. "'I Loved You At Your Darkest' is a more dynamic record. It's extreme and radical on one hand, but it's also more rock-oriented than any other BEHEMOTH record."

Nergal doesn't view the heightened rock influence as a conscious creative decision so much as a renewed interest in the historical origins of the music he makes. "We don't give consideration to musical direction, we simply create what naturally comes to us," he says. "But 15 years ago, if you had asked me who I thought was the best band on the planet, I probably would have said MAYHEM or MORBID ANGEL. Today if you asked me, I'd say AC/DC. That should give you a clear indication of why this album is more rock-based. It all comes down to the songwriting."

Lyrically, "I Loved You At Your Darkest" revels in the kind of religious provocation that BEHEMOTH do best. "It's very religion-driven, maybe more than anything we've done before," Nergal offers. "But it's not just cheap goading. I believe this is some deeper metal language. It's art."

Unlike "The Satanist", which was primarily recorded in one studio, "I Loved You At Your Darkest" saw its production spread across Poland and the United States. It was produced by the bandmembers themselves, with drum co-production by Daniel Bergstrand (MESHUGGAH, IN FLAMES), mixing by Matt Hyde (SLAYER, CHILDREN OF BODOM) and mastering by Tom Baker (NINE INCH NAILS, MARILYN MANSON). Which is to say nothing of the 17-piece Polish orchestra arranged by Jan Stoklosa and engineered by Tomasz Budkiewicz. Or as Nergal sums it up: "Pretty much every instrument was recorded in a different studio, and a lot of amazing people were involved."

"I Loved You At Your Darkest" track listing:

01. Solve

02. Wolves Ov Siberia

03. God = Dog

04. Ecclesia Diabolica Catholica

05. Bartzabel

06. If Crucifixion Was Not Enough...

07. Angelvs XIII

08. Sabbath Mater

09. Havohej Pantocrator

10. Rom 5:8

11. We Are The Next 1000 Years

12. Coagvla

Photo credit: Grzegorz Gołębiowski

Finnish metallers WOLFHEART will release their long-awaited fourth full-length studio album, "Constellation Of The Black Light", on September 28 via Napalm Records.

WOLFHEART's music embraces the sheer force and beauty of Finnish nature with fiery passion. After the success of their first three albums that all hit the Top 10 in the Finnish album charts, among them their last album, "Tyhjyys", which charted in Switzerland as well, the time has come to unleash the next masterpiece of raw winter metal! "Constellation Of The Black Light" comes with seven tracks that dive headfirst into black metal, nordic death metal, soaring melodies and complex arrangements.

Comments WOLFHEART leader Tuomas Saukkonen on the new album: "Determination and perseverance were the key points in the making this album while conquering obstacle after obstacle during the process of recordings while coldness and beauty of winter were the themes where the music was born.

"This is definitely a triumph in WOLFHEART career and one of the biggest battles won in my personal career. I could not be more satisfied with the result, and with new label and management behind us, we are headstrong to stay in the bath of victories."

"Constellation Of The Black Light" track listing:

01. Everlasting Fall

02. Breakwater

03. The Saw

04. Forge With Fire

05. Defender

06. Warfare

07. Valkyrie

WOLFHEART will support CARACH ANGREN on a North American tour beginning in late September.

WOLFHEART is:

Tuomas Saukkonen: Guitar, Vocals

Mika Lammassaari: Lead guitar

Joonas Kauppinen: Drums

Lauri Silvonen: Bass, backing vocals

Photo by Mike Sirèn

American death/black metallers CAST THE STONE have released the official lyric video for the song "A Plague Of Light", taken from their recently announced six-track EP, "Empyrean Atrophy". The disc is due for release on August 31 via Agonia Records.

CAST THE STONE is Mark Kloeppel (MISERY INDEX, SCOUR), Derek Engemann (CATTLE DECAPITATION, SCOUR), Jesse Schobel (LEGEND, SCOUR) and vocalist Andrew Huskey. First formations of the band began in 2002, long before its protagonists departed for their better-known metal-scene mainstays. While such ties leave a clear mark, CAST THE STONE emerge not as some metal supergroup, but as a project of the original and purest intent of its membership.

Each of CAST THE STONE members is involved in writing music, and each has varying tastes. But they all seem to have one acquired taste in common: an appetite for American and Swedish death metal. On "Empyrean Atrophy", one can distinctly hear sounds similar to DISMEMBER, GRAVE, AT THE GATES, and other proponents of the genre. There are also artisan elements one could liken to more dark and progressive Swedish acts such as OPETH, EDGE OF SANITY and DISSECTION. Perhaps this reason alone, Dan Swanö was a clear choice for production (having produced or had been a member of some of the aforementioned bands).

Hybridizing the dark ferocity of Swedish death metal through a lens of American brutality, CAST THE STONE hits a creative stride with "Empyrean Atrophy". Guitarist Mark Kloeppel commented: "The band's sound is a testament to an enduring spirit that's driven us to return to our most organic influences, merge them together, incorporate disparate elements, and forge our own sound. Each person has a distinct sound unto themselves, so it's really cool how smooth and cohesive this stuff comes across. You can immediately hear how different this is from the other things we've been involved in, yet it's still very true to our individual styles. Our bassist Derek progressively weaves my guitars and Jesse's uber-creative drumming style together in a way that only he can. This is all crowned off by Andy Huskey's crazy death metal vocals which are... well, just listen."

"Empyrean Atrophy" was produced by Dan Swanö (KATATONIA, MERCILESS, EDGE OF SANITY) and features cover artwork by Gary Ronaldson of Bite Radius Designs (PRIMORDIAL, KREATOR, NAPALM DEATH). It includes five new, original compositions and "Jesusatan".

Track listing:

01. As The Dead Lie

02. The Burning Horizon

03. Standing In The Shadows

04. A Plague Of Light

05. Empyrean Atrophy

06. Jesusatan